HEART OF STONE: Introduction
by Bella Auburn
Summary: All this time we thought that Bella was the only human who caught onto the Cullen's secret. We were wrong. Sophie Biel has been secretly onto the Cullens and when she falls onto the Volturi radar, they send their best to execute her. Too bad this vampire begins to fall in love with his target...but will Sophie still love him when she finds out the truth?


wpc. . /NEELLmZQWJCvJH_1_

INTRODUCTION

Shiloh Wilshire walked into the Volturi's lair with confidence in his golden eyes. He needed no guidance from Heidi or Jane. He remembered this place well even though it had been two centuries since he served with them and his service had only been for two years before he could no longer tolerate their savage nature. He walked past the human woman who sat at the secretary's desk staring at the phone. Her gaze met Shiloh's and she eagerly rose from her chair greeting him cheerfully in Italian. Shiloh regarded her with a nod.

He stared at her deeply answering her question before she could ask it.

"Shiloh Wilshire. They're expecting me. Let me in…" commanded Shiloh.

Stunned by his ability she slowly sunk into her seat. Her eyes suggested that she was debating whether he was psychic or not. He was not a mind reader or psychic. He was a hypnotist of sorts. Shiloh had the ability to hypnotize people. Even vampires. Many times in the past two centuries they had attempted to persuade him to rejoin them but both times he had declined. He refused to go back to hunting humans for food and helping execute vampires.

And even with all his reasons for disliking the Volturi he had accepted there invitation to meet with them today. It had intrigued him.

For one they had contacted him personally by phone instead of through a secretary. Second they had stated that they were not going to attempt to make him a member again. He wondered what this could possibly be about then. Maybe they just wanted to catch up. He wasn't doing anything and he loved Italy. The visit was more of a vacation than anything. Being frozen at eighteen limitations didn't apply here in Europe like they did back in the states. Granted he could use hypnosis to get in places without his fake I.D. he preferred not to use hypnosis. He hated to use his gifts. Today was an exception though. Today he was anxious and not in the mood to trifle with a Volturi secretary. Their lives were on the line in more ways than one so arguing with her about it would take a lot of energy that he didn't feel like expelling.

The secretary gestured to the large double doors, dazed. Shiloh pushed open the doors and saw the three head Volturi sitting on their thrones. On the end where Marcus sat stood Dimitri and Felix. On the end where Caius sat was Jane and Alec. Nobody stood beside or behind Aro. That had been Carlisle Cullen's spot. After Carlisle it had been Shiloh's spot. Now it was vacant.

Aro stood to his feet and approached Shiloh with his arms open.

"Shiloh! My young friend," Aro greeted embracing him.

Reluctantly Shiloh returned the embrace. Aro released him and returned to his chair. Awkwardly, Shiloh tugged at the collar of his black t shirt. He cleared his throat as all the crimson eyes in the room landed on him. Aro smiled. Caius sneered. Marcus wore an expectant smirk. Shiloh ruffled his black hair and waited for someone to speak.

"We'll, I suppose you're wondering why we requested your audience, Shiloh," Aro said.

Shiloh smiled and shrugged.

"Well, we aren't trying to get you to join us. We understand that you have terminally declined the offer," Aro said.

"Thank you for understanding," Shiloh replied.

"Instead, we have more of a recruitment job for you..."

Shiloh raised a brow. He didn't like the sound of this.

"There is a human we need...taken care of..." Aro said.

Shiloh pursed his lips fighting back a snarl. He refused to kill a human.

"She knows too much..." Caius added.

Shiloh felt rage build up inside him. It was a girl? Not a girl. He opened his mouth to decline the job but Aro raised a finger.

"Before you decline... You must hear what we are offering in exchange for your service..."

Shiloh folded his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"We are offering you generous compensation and clemency."

Shiloh cocked a brow at Aro.

"Clemency? For what?"

Aro looked to Caius who sneered at Shiloh.

"We know about the girl...the human one..." He said.

Shiloh swallowed. He knew they had known about Margaret. The human he had loved and had been in a relationship with until her untimely death of the Black Plague. He had offered to turn her but she had refused. Shiloh knew the Volturi had turned the other cheek because they didn't want to dispose of him and his gifts. A vampire with hypnosis was highly coveted. Now they were using the past against him.

"With all do respect, you didn't kill me before. Why would you now?" Shiloh asked in a polite tone.

Marcus's eyes narrowed at Shiloh.

"Because you are not the only vampire with hypnosis that we know now. We've found a young woman, freshly turned with your gift. One who would love to work for us. You have no value to us..." Aro explained.

Shiloh swallowed and nodded at the three vampires before him.

"Out of curiosity...why do I have to kill her? Why not send Jane? Or Alec? Or this new hypnotist you found..." Shiloh suggested.

"This human is no ordinary girl. She knows what we are and if Jane or Alec were to show up with their eyes and clothes she would know something was up. The hypnotist is too old looking to blend in with her. You can pass as a student at her school," added Marcus.

"What school is open now? It's June."

"It's your cover, Shiloh. You'll be a new resident in her town about to start school in the fall. Get her to trust you and when you feel the time is right and like her death won't be investigated then kill her."

Shiloh knew if he refused and they followed through to kill him that they would just find someone else to kill the girl. She was dead either way. Why not by him? He could make it quick.

"How did she find out about us?"

"The Cullens. She lives in Forks and has been following the story of the Cullens. She suspects something is up-"

"Pause, Aro. She suspects? Shouldn't I wait until she definitely knows what we are?"

"She grows closer and closer to uncovering us as time passes. She's a liability and those must be destroyed at all costs…" spat Caius.

Shiloh ran his fingers through his chocolate brown hair and sighed, staring at his black boots.

"Okay, so I go to this town… Get close to this girl… Kill her… And then you won't bring up… Margaret again?" he confirmed.

Aro shrugged innocently.

"Simple as that."

"And how will I blend in? It's summer. Is this place going to be easy to conceal myself in?"

Jane stepped towards Shiloh and handed him a manila envelope.

"Everything you need to know is in there," she said formally, before returning to her post.

"It rains in this place more than any other town in the entire United States," clarified Aro.

Shiloh looked from Aro's eyes to the envelope and opened it slowly. Removing the contents he saw the location was Forks, Washington.


End file.
